Scientists from the Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals of Siberian Federal University have developed a multi-stage technology for processing aluminum slags from foundry production. As TASS reported to the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, the method solves the problem of accumulating difficult-to-dispose waste containing metallic aluminum, oxides, and salt compounds. A patent has been obtained for the technology.
The process begins with an analysis of the slag composition, then the material is crushed, ground, and sieved. The key stage is selective leaching: depending on the composition, water or a hydrochloric acid solution is used, which allows separating salts and oxides from each other. Salt solutions are evaporated to concentrates of sodium, potassium, and magnesium chlorides, and the separated metallic aluminum is briquetted and remelted. The output is a secondary aluminum alloy that meets industrial standards.
The degree of aluminum extraction reaches 85% — this is comparable to the best world technologies. Unlike primary production, recycling requires significantly less energy and reduces the volume of stored waste, effectively closing the production cycle. For the aluminum industry, where slags have accumulated in dumps for decades, the development provides a tool for simultaneous utilization and return of valuable raw materials to mechanical engineering and other sectors. The research was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. Scientists from the Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals of Siberian Federal University have developed a multi-stage technology for processing aluminum slags from foundry production. As TASS reported to the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, the method solves the problem of accumulating difficult-to-dispose waste containing metallic aluminum, oxides, and salt compounds. A patent has been obtained for the technology.
The process begins with an analysis of the slag composition, then the material is crushed, ground, and sieved. The key stage is selective leaching: depending on the composition, water or a hydrochloric acid solution is used, which allows separating salts and oxides from each other. Salt solutions are evaporated to concentrates of sodium, potassium, and magnesium chlorides, and the separated metallic aluminum is briquetted and remelted. The output is a secondary aluminum alloy that meets industrial standards.
The degree of aluminum extraction reaches 85% — this is comparable to the best world technologies. Unlike primary production, recycling requires significantly less energy and reduces the volume of stored waste, effectively closing the production cycle. For the aluminum industry, where slags have accumulated in dumps for decades, the development provides a tool for simultaneous utilization and return of valuable raw materials to mechanical engineering and other sectors. The research was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.
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